TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2012
www.pqbnews.com
PARLEZ-VOUS FRENCH FUN?
GENERALS DROP A PAIR
Group keeps its heritage alive through songs and recipes
Last year’s champs hand locals a 6-2 loss Saturday night on home ice
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Mine seeking support Mid-Island coal project still requires approvals JOHN HARDING editor@pqbnews.com
The project manager for a proposed midIsland coal mine says he wants the support of local businesses in his company’s effort to stem tide of negative publicity. Don Berkshire of Raven Underground Coal Projects gave a presentation to about 100 Parksville and District Chamber of Commerce members Thursday during the group’s monthly dinner meeting at the Tigh-Na-Mara Resort. “We need your support right now,” Berkshire pleaded. “The regulators are only hearing one side of the story in the press and it’s not that favourable.” The proposed Raven project is located five kilometres west of the Buckley Bay ferry terminal. Berkshire said the total underground area of the mine would be 3,100 hectares. He also said the project would create 350 jobs in the mine and port facility in Port Alberni. “This is employment for people who live here,” he said, adding that the average mine worker’s salary, including benefits, exceeds $100,000 per year. “We are not going to be flying people in.” Berkshire said Raven received what’s called an Application Information Requirements/ Environmental Impact Statement Guildelines document from the provincial and federal governments in June. See SHELLFISH, page A6
Organic tensions at farmers’ market What is and what is not organic a hot-button issue amongst local growers NEIL HORNER news@pqbnews.com
When Qualicum Beach residents head to the farmer’s market on Saturday, they’ll get a chance to learn all about the organic sector of the local agricultural scene. However, said Kris Chand of Blue Heron Farm, they might also notice some tension in the air. Chand, who sits as the vice president of the Canada Organic Trade Association, said the issue of what is and what is not organic produce has proven to be a hot-button topic
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amongst local farmers. “It’s a very divisive issue,” Chand said. One farmer has a huge banner declaring his products as organic and he told me it’s perfectly legal in B.C. and there’s not a damn thing I can do about it. If this isn’t a situation causing conflict, I don’t know what is.” The problem, he said, involves the definition of what is and what is not certified organic produce. See STANDARDS, page A6
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LISSA ALEXANDER PHOTO
SLIP AND SLIDE: Grade 12 Kwalikum Secondary students were hooting and hollering Friday afternoon as they slid down a giant sheet of plastic under warm sunny skies at the school. It was the KSS grad council’s annual Slip n’ Slide, and students soaped up to give them some extra oomph down the slippery slope on the KSS upper field, while the local fire department kept the slide slick with the fire hose.